


Everyone's Different Inside Their Head

by TheFlirtMeister



Category: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
Genre: F/F, Gen, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-01-03
Packaged: 2019-02-27 21:17:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13256808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheFlirtMeister/pseuds/TheFlirtMeister
Summary: “Bethany!” Martha says, and then they’re both giggling. “Can I ask something?”“Sure.” Bethany says, and Martha tilts her head to one side, a flush appearing across her nose.“Do you miss having a penis?”





	Everyone's Different Inside Their Head

**Author's Note:**

> harold they're lesbians

Martha comes over one night to study, turning up at Bethany’s house with no make up on, and un-brushed hair that frizzes out around her face. Bethany opens the door holding a non-alcoholic cocktail, and it’s worth it for the wide eyed look that Martha gives her.

“Is that _alcohol_?” She asks, already stepping over the threshold. “On a _school night_?”

“I’m totally wasted.” Bethany says, in her best drunk voice, and then laughs. “No Marth. It’s a mocktail. Want one?”

Martha eyes it suspiciously. “No thank you.”

“Your loss.” Bethany says, and holds the door open wider so Martha can come inside. “Spencer not with you?”

“He’s with Fridge.” Martha says, slipping off her shoes by the front door and lining them up neatly. “I asked, but, you know.”

“Boys.” Bethany says with an eye roll, shutting the door. “My mom is in the living room if you want to say hi.”

“I’m okay.” Martha says. She’s gripping her schoolbag like a lifeline.

Bethany puts her drink down on a side table and stands in front of Martha. “I’m not going to eat you.” She says gently.

“I know that.” Martha says, and then there’s a beat. “You’re not a hippo.”

“Oh now that’s just _cruel_.” Bethany says, but she’s laughing. “Come on. My bedroom is untidy, do you mind?”

“Nope. It can’t be as bad as Spencer’s.” Martha says, and Bethany starts to make her way up the stairs towards her bedroom. “Why do boys smell like that?”

“It’s boy musk.” Bethany says, “It sticks to them like glue. You can’t get rid of it.”

“I hate it.” Martha says, “Do you like it?”

Bethany raises and lowers one shoulder. “Sometimes. It depends.”

“When you were a boy,” Martha starts, and then stops. “Sorry. Anyone could hear.”

“Don’t worry, nobody in this house listens to anything I say.” Bethany leads Martha onto the landing and pushes open her bedroom door. “Welcome to the jungle that is my bedroom.”

Bethany’s bedroom is messy, but not enough to cause a problem. Sure, there’s a few bras thrown about the place, and some fresh laundry that still hasn’t been moved from the armchair, but it’s not that bad. Bethany’s seen worse.

Martha gently sets her schoolbag on the wooden floor, and then looks about for somewhere to sit. Bethany throws herself onto the bed, and then pats the spot next to her for Martha to join her. Martha very slowly lowers herself onto the bed and shoves her hands between her knees awkwardly.

“Do you want me to put on some music?” Bethany asks.

“Only if it’s no trouble.” Martha says, looking about the room. “Oh, I like your poster!”

It’s a Radio Silence poster, a boy and a girl holding hands as they look out onto the abyss. It was a present from Bethany to herself. She’s very good at gift giving for herself.

“Thanks.” Bethany says, and then calls out. “Alexa, play Dua Lipa.”

“Playing Dua Lipa.” The machine’s voice says smoothly, and music starts to fill the room.

“We could have used Alexa in the jungle.” Martha says, and then looks at Bethany, waiting for a response before she says anything else.

Bethany tilts her head towards Martha, acknowledging her to talk. Martha takes a deep breath, squeezing her knees against her hands, and then starts talking.

“Do you dream about the drums? Or, do you have your characters dreams? I sometimes dream about Ruby’s childhood, when her father died, and how horrible her mother was. It’s like drowning, I can’t get away from it. And I dream about the jungle. Constantly. About dying. And Van Pelt. Just, _everything_.”

Bethany watches her silently, and then pushes herself upright into a sitting position. “Do you talk about this with Spencer?”

Martha snorts. “Spencer’s useless. All he does is talk about how much he misses his old body, and he spends all his time with Fridge now.”

“Are you still dating?” Bethany asks.

“I don’t know.” She says. “I don’t think so. What about you and Alex?”

“We’ve spoken.” Bethany says, because there’s nothing else to say. “He has a wife though. And a Bethany of his own to look after. He doesn’t need me.”

Martha bites her lip and then reaches out and lightly touches Bethany’s arm. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay!” Bethany says, and flashes her a smile. “He’s like, so old anyway. I don’t need a sugar daddy just yet.”

“Bethany!” Martha says, and then they’re both giggling. “Can I ask something?”

“Sure.” Bethany says, and Martha tilts her head to one side, a flush appearing across her nose.

“Do you miss having a penis?”

Bethany snorts with laughter, covering her face with her hands. “Martha Kaply, I would not expect that kind of question from you!”

“Well you kept trying to show it to me!” Martha protests, and Bethany removes her hands from her face to see Martha’s anxious little face.

“God you’re so cute.” Bethany teases.

“Shut up.” Martha mumbles. “But do you?”

“Sometimes.” Bethany says truthfully. “Sometimes I dream about being hard. Or just, like, having it.”

“Do you have Shelly’s dreams?” Martha asks.

“Yeah.” Bethany admits. “Like, I have dreams about being at university, or some shit? And just like, hanging out with this professor who I have a crush on and stuff.”

“Is she pretty?”

“He.” Bethany corrects, and Martha’s mouth falls open. “Come on Marth. Did you honestly think Shelly Oberon was straight?”

“I have the worst gaydar.” Martha says, and Bethany cuffs her lightly on the shoulder.

“Yeah you do.” She says. “It’s a good thing you’re adorable to make up for it.”

Martha flushes again, and turns away. “I wish we all weren’t so fucked up.”

“I think every teenager is a little fucked up.” Bethany says truthfully. “But hey, I’m here for you. And Spencer, and Fridge. We’re in this together.”

“Spencer and Fridge aren’t here.”

“Well I’ll force them to come over.” Bethany says, “I might be short but I’m scary af.”

“Yeah, you are.” Martha nods and Bethany prods her side.

“You’re not meant to agree!” She says, laughing. “But thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Martha says, and she smiles shyly at Bethany. “You’re a good friend Bethany.”

“Aw, babe.” Bethany says, “You’re a good friend too! Incredibly neurotic, but a good friend.”

“Shelly and Ruby were friends too.” Martha says, but it’s more a question than a statement.

“Of course!” Bethany flops onto her back and Martha joins her, till they’re lying side by side and staring up at the ceiling. “Ultimate friends. The true wlw and mlm solidarity.”

“Wlw- what?” Martha asks.

“It means lesbian.” Bethany says.

“Oh.” Martha says, and then. “I’m- Ruby wasn’t a lesbian.”

“She couldn’t flirt with guys, she was definitely a lesbian.”

“She had a crush on Sp- Dr Smoulder.” Martha says.

“Compulsory het crush. Happens all the time.” Bethany spreads her hands in the air, feeling Martha’s eyes on her.

“Do you have compulsory crushes?” Martha asks quietly.

“I like boys.” Bethany says, and she hears Martha’s breath hitch. “And I like girls.”

“Oh.” Martha says.

Bethany reaches down between them and takes hold of Martha’s hand. It’s warm in her own, soft, and she rubs her thumb against the back of Martha’s hand. Martha is breathing fast beside her, and Bethany squeezes her hand tightly.

“I’m here for you.” She says, turning her head just slightly to look at Martha. “I promise.”

“Okay.” Martha whispers. “Thank you.”

They lay there for a while, hand in hand. Bethany feels peaceful for the first time in months.


End file.
